Conveyer for grain binders



Aug. 22, 1950 A. SEPPOLA coNvEYER FOR GRAIN BINDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1947 Aug. 22, 1950 A, SEPPQLA 2,520,018

CONVEYER FOR GRAIN BINDERS Filed Jan. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Y @452e e/vjaol ici-EJ- Patented Aug. 2, 195o CONVEYER FOR GRAIN BINDERS Asle Seppola, Evansburgh, Alberta, Canada Application `lanuary 14, 1947, Serial No. 722,000

4 Claims.

This invention relates to canvas conveyors for grain binders whether of the apron or elevator type.

There are two objectionable features in conventional conveyors of this general type. The first is that the buckle arrangement, whereby the two ends of the canvas are joined together, is unsatisfactory. It is not conveniently and practically possible to adequately tighten conventional conveyors upon their rollers with the buckles now in use. The second objectionable feature lies in the fact that the free flap of conventional canvas conveyors which is employed to cover the gap between the two ends of the conveyor -as well as to cover the buckle construction is inadequately controlled during conditions of actual operation of the binder.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a satisfactory buckle construction whereby the canvas conveyor may be properly tightened upon its rollers.

It is another principal object of this invention to provide a flap control mechanism which cooperates with the buckle construction to properly and adequately control the free ap of the canvas conveyor.

The improvements herein claimed are adapted to be used in connection with conventional equipment without substantially modifying the equipment.

Other objects and -advantages of the improvements herein claimed will be apparent from a reading of the following description:

Preferred embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. l is a plan view of a canvas conveyor mounted on its rollers and incorporating the features of the present invention, said conveyor being partly broken away at the buckle construction to expose said construction as well as the flap holding mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the buckle and flap holdin-g construction, said flap holding construction and thev conveyor belt being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the buckle construction shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the buckle construction and the flap locking member;

Fig. 6 is a, detailed fragmentary view of another type of buckle construction made in accordance with the present invention;

2 Fig. 7 is a top view of the flap holding mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front view of said mechanism showing it in open position; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section through the buckle shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now especially to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the conveyor to which reference has herein been made comprises a canvas belt IIJ which is provided with a plurality of transverse slats I I and which is mounted on a pair of rollers I2 and I3, respectively. The canvas conveyor or belt I0 is not endless. Instead it has two ends which must be joined together by means of a buckle or other arrangement. In the present invention a buckle construction is used.

The buckle construction herein claimed to constitute an improvement over the prior art is shown very clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The buckle construction actually comprises a plurality of such constructions, and in Fig. 1 it will be apparent that four may be employed on a single conveyor. For purposes of convenience, however, only a single one of these Ibuckle constructions will be described, but it will be understood that any number of them may conveniently be used in connection with the conveyor belt.

A strap 20 is affixed by means of rivets 2| or by any other conventional means to the end slats II of one end of the conveyor belt. There is nothing critical about these last-mentioned number of slats, and strap 20 may be affixed not to two of said slats but only to one or perhaps to three. Afiixed to the free end of the strap 20 is a buckle 22. It will be seen in Fig. 3 that this buckle is provided with a cam type of locking member 23, but it will be understood that this particular type of locking member is merely illustrative of the different types which m-ay be used. A second strap 25 is permanently aixed at one end to said buckle 22. Its opposite end is pulled or looped through a loop construction 2l, and it is then brought back to and through buckle 22 where it is locked in place by cam member 23. The loop 21 may be of any suitable construction, and it really serves in the manner of a sheave or roller chock. In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the loop 21 comprises a plate 28 which is affixed by means of rivets 29 or by any other conventional means to the end slat II of the opposite end of the canvas belt I0, and which is provided with'a transversely extending roller 30 spaced therefrom to form the loop through which the strap' 25 extends. By way of reinforcing, a third strap 35 is riveted at/ one end to the slat \I I which lies adjacent the end slat Il last-above mentioned, andwhich is connected at its opposite end Iby means of a hook and loop or bail construction 36 to the plate 28. The strap 35 strengthens the connecting bond between the plate 28 and the canvas belt, since it connects said plate to the second slat last-above mentioned.

The arrow in Fig. 3 indicates the direction in which the free end of strap is pulled in order to tighten the canvas belt around its rollers l2 and I3 aforementioned. When vthe belt is mounted on its said rollers in the machine, the arrow shown in Fig. 3 points in the direction of the person engaged in tightening the belt around the rollers. It will thus be apparent that a pulling action is required in said operation rather than a pushing one which is .the1case with'conventional buckle constructions. A greater force may be applied by means of the arrangement thus described, than is :.-possible in conventional arrangements.

In Fig. 6 another type of loop constrnctionfis shown. Here strap xcorrespondsyto previously described strap: i35. The plate'fd #which correspends .to-plate '28,fandvwhich carries roller' 42 which corresponds to roller Sil-is-notzafxed, as Will be'apparent frorrrFig.v (i, 'to any offtheslats ll. A-Plate 4| is provided-with ahook end which engages a loop 44 which in `turn is connected lto the free end of strapV s-by means vof Vfastening'member 45. A more ilexibleA connec- 'tion is -thereby provided than is the case with loop [construction 21 above-described. The stra-p 25 is looped aroundthe'r'ol-ler. '42 in this constructionl in lie-:same manner as inconstruction 2'! abovementioned.

- The 1- precise construction of the .loop arrangement through which the-strap-25 extendsf'is'not limited to the constructions 'shown in 4the ,drawing. .Any rconventionaLtype 'of loop may-be Fused. `It'is preferable; however, touse a loophaving a roll-er@ for the-1reason that friction`cis1therm`ay lessened between :thefstrap andthe loop. It'will .further be understood that although-ea'cl'r` strap 25=isshown to :be provided lwith' its. own looparv rangement, a single loop arrangement for alliof the straps .25may also be. used. lThere would be no'fsubstantialA change in the construction. of a loop 'of this type overthe .constructions shownin the drawing, .except 'that the roller would extend 'the full width 'of the conveyor. belt ratherthan :the width vof the'individual straps used.

raAap 5D `is formed at one end. of the conveyor belt as .shown in Fig.3. This flap is really an extension 'ofv the beltritself, .and its .function is f,

.to coverY the gap .between the two `endsI of' the =belt aswell as to cover `the buckle construction `by. whichA the .two ends are interconnected. In 'operation ofthe conveyor unit this flap ordinarily proves very troublesome, and it has been found veryidiicult to control orzconiine. 'A iiap holding clip has accordingly been provided to hold :theflap 50 in its proper place.` This clip is'piv'otally connected by means ofplates 5l to onerof the slats 1|. 'As seen in Fig;` 3, it is `the second last 'slatwat` the buckle end of the binder canvas. Again .this specic slat is not the critical one and other slats `may be used to equal advantagefor rthepurp'ose indicated. It has been found; however, vthat this particular slat may very Vconveniently be used as will hereinafter appear.

"The clip as shown-in Fig. 7 is bent back 'wardly upon itself at its two ends, and it is these backwardly extending portions that provide the pivotal connection between said clip and fthe plates 6|. These backwardly extending portions are bent substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the clip to provide spring engaging members 52 which engage leaf springs 63. These leaf springs are aflixed to said second slat Il and the interconnection between said springs and said spring engaging members 62 is such that the springs normally urge the clip into the locked position shown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted in Fig. '7 that a groove 55 is formed in said second slat I l to accommodate an inwardly extending bent center portion of the clip 6U. When the clip is brought downwardly into'itslocked position, its bent center portion enters the groove 65 and there results a locking action between said groove and said clip. This locking action is'in addition to that which is provided by the action of the springs 33 upon the bent ends 62 of the clip. When the clip is raised into its open position as shown in Figs. 3 and 8, '.theihent 'ends LGZengage the springs :substantially lat'right angleshereto, andfthefspring action upon said bent ends is thereby cancelled out onprevented 'To-prevent thenbent` ends 62 from-'disengaging Ythe yspringsfwhen -thev clip is brought upwardlyiinto its open-position, a pair of'flanges G9 is provided oneach of said-spring members Theseflanges serve as stopsfor the-bent ends 62 of Atheclp and prevent the disengagement thereof 1-from said' springs.

'When clip Gais used to-conne or hold the flap 50, said flap is slipped under said clip'when vthe clip is in its openvposition and the clipis y'then brought downwardly. into` lits .locked position. This may-be seen-particularly in Fig. 5. To a limited=extent the inwardly bent center 4portion of the clip pushes the/ilap .into the groove 65 and hereby lockssaid ap 'in lposition.

It willbe noted .in Fig-5 vthat the clip serves adouble function. It not onlyholds the hap-.52! but it also-holds or,.connes. the free ends of. .straps 25 after .said free ends have been drawn through buckles22. Theclips is .shown in Fig. 7 .to beprovided with a plurality. of. .raised or, outwardly. bent .portions 5l, .l one. of. said portions for each of straps 25. Recesses are .thereby provided Aforthe free .ends of .thestraps- 25. Andit isin these recessesthatthe straps.v ex.- tend. when .the clip is brought. downwardly .into its closed position. Actually no direct. contact is had between the .clipand the straps 25,-for the reason that the iiap 50 ,is disposed between said clip andsaidstraps. .By reason of this fact the presence of the. strapsunder the clip. 69 whensaid clip ,isin closed position has the effect of urging corresponding portions of the apE into said recesses 6l. i Itis evident therefore that a double locking result is produced which afects both flap and the straps.

It will be understood that. the foregoing constitutes a description oi preferred embodiments of the invention and thatmodications maybe incorporated therein ,without departing fromits spirit.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, aconveyor belt having ends disposed adjacent each other, adjustable straps connecting said ends to place the belt under proper tension, said belt having an integral flap extending from oneyend over the other end across a gaptherebetween to cover the straps, a slat transversely disposed Aon the belt adjacent the free end ofthe Vnap, a wire clip mounted on said slat and extending along 'the length thereof and movable` with' respect thereto aszome to receive the end of the flap between itself and the slat, said clip adapted to be moved to an operative position to clamp the flap to the slat.

2. In a, device of the class described, a conveyor belt having adjacent ends, adjustable straps connecting said ends to place the belt under proper tension, said straps having free ends extending across and onto one end of the belt, said belt having a flap extending across the gap between the ends of the belt and adapted to cover said straps and lying across the same end of the belt as the free ends of the straps, a slat transversely disposed on the last mentioned portion of said belt adjacent the end thereof, and a wire clip member pivotally mounted on said slat and extending lengthwise thereof and adapted to' receive the free ends of the straps and the free end of the ap therebeneath, said clip movable to a locking position to hold the said free ends against the belt.

3. In a device of the class described, a conveyor belt having adjacent ends, adjustable straps connecting said ends to place the belt under' proper tension, said straps having free ends exe tending across and onto one end of the belt, said belt having a flap extending across the gap between the ends of the belt and adapted to cover said straps and lying across the same end of the belt as the free ends of the straps, a slat transversely disposed on the last mentioned portion of said belt adjacent the end thereof, and a wire clip member pivotally mounted on said slat and extending lengthwise thereof and adapted to receive the free ends of the straps and the free end of the flap therebeneath, said clip movable to a locking position to hold the said free ends against the belt, the ends of said clip being bent at right angles to the length thereof and resting on top of the slat, and spring plates on the slat bearing against said bent ends to hold the clip in a normal locking position.

4. In a device of the class described, a, conveyor belt having adjacent ends, adjustable straps connecting said ends to place the belt under proper tension, said straps having free ends extending across and onto one end of the belt, said belt having a flap extending across the gap between the ends of the belt and adapted to cover said straps and lying across the same end of the belt as the free ends of the straps, a slat transversely disposed on the last mentioned portion of said belt adjacent the end thereof, and a wire clip member pivotally mounted on said slat and extending lengthwise thereof and adapted to receive the free ends of the straps and the free end of the flap therebeneath, said clip movable to a locking position to hold the said free ends against the belt, the ends of said clip being bent at right angles to the length thereof and resting on top of the slat, spring plates on the slat bearing against said bent ends to hold the clip in a normal locking position, the surface 0f the slat having a groove therein, the clip member having a bent portion adapted to lie in said groove when the clip is moved to said locking position to hold said clip in said position.

ASLE SEPPOLA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 683,430 Benjamin Oct. 1, 1901 803,643 Trolley Nov. 7, 1905 957,769 Graney May 10, 1910 1,429,470 Webber Sept. 19, 1922 1,491,901 Claussen Apr. 29, 1924 1,614,693 Schulte Jan. 18, 1927 1,821,277 Routhe Sept. 1, 1931 2,031,021 Weber et al Feb. 18, 1936 

